Reunion
by cheeky-chaos
Summary: What would happen if Janeway and Chakotay had never left New Earth? Twenty years on, the crew are reunited...
1. Prologue

REUNION  
  
PROLOGUE:  
  
Kathryn Janeway sighed with pleasure, as she sank deeper into her bath. The bubbles tickled her chin, but she did not mind. The familiar night sounds of the planet surrounded her, and she felt herself relax.  
  
"Are you going to stay in there all night?" a deep voice asked from the shadows.  
  
Kathryn smiled at the voice. "I might." She said, as Chakotay steeped into the light.  
  
He chuckled. "The kids want dinner."  
  
Kathryn arched her eyebrow at her lover. "They always want food."  
  
She smiled softly as she looked at him. They had been on this planet for twenty years, but he was still as handsome as her had been then. Grey streaked his black hair now, and the corners of his eyes and mouth were crinkled, but he was still the same to her.  
  
"What are you smiling at?" he asked, gazing at her with warm brown eyes.  
  
"You." She whispered softly.  
  
He smiled softly at her, before bending over to kiss her.  
  
"Yuck!" a voice behind them grumbled. "They're kissing again, Leo!"  
  
Chakotay turned to see his grinning nineteen-year-old son. He was joined a moment later by his twin brother. "Not again, Tay!" he moaned.  
  
Chakotay laughed. "Seems we've been caught, Katie."  
  
Both the twins were as tall as their father, but Leo wore his light brown hair long while Tay's was short. They both had their mother's hazel eyes and curious nature.  
  
"Indeed we have." Kathryn told Chakotay. "Now off you go, so I can get changed."  
  
Grinning, Chakotay took his sons and headed back to the large log cabin they lived in. "Let's go see what your sister's up to." He said.  
  
They found her standing in the middle of the cabin, her hands on her hips, when the entered. "Where did you disappear to?" she asked. "Dinner's ready!"  
  
"Sorry, Amy." The twins muttered softly, as the crept past her to the table.  
  
Amelia raised an eyebrow at her father. "Where's mum?" she asked.  
  
"Right here." A voice came from behind Chakotay, as Kathryn entered.  
  
"Dinner's ready." Amy said, but less angry as before.  
  
Kathryn looked at Amelia and then Chakotay. She smiled. They looked so alike, with their dark hair, golden skin and brown eyes. Her seventeen- year-old daughter even had the same tattoo above her left eye, much to her father's pride.  
  
"Then let's eat." She said, and walked toward the table where Tay and Leo were already sitting.  
  
A few hours later, after dinner, Chakotay and Kathryn sat in the lounge drinking tea. "You know, Amy renamed the shuttle today?" he asked.  
  
"No." Kathryn said, turning on the couch to face him. "What did she call it?"  
  
"The 'Seeker'."  
  
"Really?" Kathryn smiled. "We always knew she had the spirit of an explorer. Just like us."  
  
Chakotay smiled softly, a sad look in his eyes. "She'll be leaving us soon, Katie."  
  
Kathryn nodded, reaching out to cup his cheek with her palm. "I know." She said.  
  
That sat together curled in each other's arms, as they had for the past twenty years. "We won't be able to stop her." Kathryn added, after a moment.  
  
Chakotay nodded the feeling of sadness that came to any father when their child was about to leave, and become an adult.  
  
* * *  
  
"I'll miss you so much." Amelia said, as she stood in front of the Seeker.  
  
"We'll miss you too." Kathryn said, her arm around Chakotay's waist.  
  
Amelia looked around the planet that had been her home for eighteen years. "I'll come back and visit heaps." She added.  
  
"I'll hold you to that." He father said.  
  
She smiled sadly at her family, and stepped forward to hug them all once again. "I just need to do this."  
  
Amelia stepped back, and climbed into the Seeker, before anyone could see her cry. She wished leaving her family didn't have to be so hard. Taking one last look at them, she fired up the engines, and took off. Soon stars replaced the greens and blues of the planet, and her family was gone.  
  
Wiping her eyes, Amelia ordered. "Computer, maximum warp on path one- two-one mark thirteen."  
  
And with that, Amelia Chakotay Janeway began her exploration of the stars. 


	2. Chapter One: The Meeting

CHAPTER ONE:  
  
The stars streaked past the viewport as Amelia sat back with a sigh. She had been travelling continuously for the past eight weeks, with no sign of what she sought. "You would think no one has any replacement parts for a warp engine, in the entire Delta Quadrant!" she muttered.  
  
She had run into some problems with her engines a week before, and although she had fixed the problem, she needed replacement parts. She sighed. It wouldn't be a problem for a least another week, but those parts would make life so much easier.  
  
Suddenly the computer alerted her. "Unknown ship approaching on one- one-nine mark seventeen."  
  
"Scan data banks for match." Amelia ordered.  
  
"Confirmed." The Computer was silent for a second. "Scanning complete. Ship recognized as a Starfleet vessel. Type unknown."  
  
"Starfleet?" Amelia repeated, incredulous, eyebrows raised.  
  
"Affirmative." The Computer replied. "They are hailing."  
  
"On screen." Amelia ordered, and found herself face to face with the first human she had ever seen outside her family.  
  
A human, who, despite the grey streaks beginning to show in his black hair, was very familiar.  
  
* * *  
  
"Hail them." Captain Harry Kim ordered, and found himself face to face with a beautiful young woman, who looked faintly surprised.  
  
Her skin was golden, and she had dark hair and eyes. She wore black pants and dark red top that showed off her curves. A delicate necklace graced her throat. But what surprised Harry was the standard issue Starfleet comm. badge pinned near her left shoulder, and the achingly familiar tattoo above her left eye.  
  
"My name is Captain Harry Kim of the starship Voyager. We are explorers searching the Delta Quadrant for missing crew." Harry said.  
  
At his words, the young woman smiled softly. "Pleased to meet you, Captain." She said. "My name is Amelia Janeway, Captain of the starship Seeker."  
  
Her words were met with shocked silence on the bridge. Finally Harry asked, "Where are you from, Captain?"  
  
"A planet we fondly call New Earth." She replied. "The third planet of seven orbiting a binary sun."  
  
"Harry." a voice began, to his right off-screen.  
  
But Harry silenced him with a wave of his hand. "The planet we've been looking for." Harry said quietly.  
  
Amelia smiled warmly. "I know. The crew you're looking for are my parents."  
  
Another silence followed her words, before the bride irrupted with voices. "Quiet!" Harry barked at them, before turning back to Amelia.  
  
"I would like to invite you aboard Voyager, Captain, and any other crew you have on board."  
  
Amelia smiled. "It's just me, but I would be honored to visit Voyager.  
  
* * *  
  
Amelia climbed out of the Seeker's hatch into Voyager's docking bay. The door at the far end opened to reveal Captain Harry Kim and several others.  
  
"Captain." Harry said. "Welcome aboard Voyager."  
  
"Call me Amelia." She said, as she walked towards him.  
  
"Well, Amelia." Harry replied. "Let me introduce some of Voyager's former crew. Admiral Tuvok, Captain Tom Paris and his wife B'Elanna, Ambassador Neelix, and The Doctor."  
  
"Friends call me Bob." The Doctor added.  
  
"I'm honored to meet you all." Amelia said to the crowd now gathered around her. "My parents often talked about you."  
  
Tuvok's hair was turning grey, and both Tom and Harry seemed to have grey hairs. All the crew had aged compared to the pictures Amelia was so used to seeing of them.  
  
As she followed them out of the docking bay, Amelia had a feeling of awe of finally meeting the crew and ship that had meant so much to her parents. 


	3. Chapter Two: Voyager

CHAPTER TWO:  
  
Over the next few days, as Voyager traveled to New Earth, Amelia got to know both the ship and her crew. She was amazed to discover that when the return mission to the Delta Quadrant to rescue her parents was first suggested, all the former crew had volunteered for it. She felt proud to see the loyalty they had to Chakotay and Kathryn Janeway, despite having left them behind all those years ago.  
  
"Leaving Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay behind was one of the hardest decisions the crew has ever made." Harry had confided in her. "For months afterwards we all thought of so many plans to get them back. Some of us kept hoping until the end. And now, here we are"  
  
It had begun when Lieutenant. No, Captain Tom Paris - Amelia corrected herself - eagerly took her on a tour of the sleek starship. They began with a tour of engineering, where Amelia was awed with her first view of the massive warp core.  
  
"This is actually the second Voyager," Tom told her, as the engineering personal swarmed around them. "The original ship, where we spent those ten years in the Delta Quadrant, is now a museum in Seattle."  
  
"Really?" Amelia asked, slightly disappointed that she was not standing on the same ship her parents had.  
  
"Yes." Tom smiled softly as he remembered arriving home. "When we finally got back to Earth, the people were so happy that they turned Voyager into a tribute to all the crewmen we lost."  
  
His smile turned bittersweet. "It was one of the most joyous and most sad moments of my life." He confided. "I was so happy to be back, but at the same time I was sad for all the crew that could not be there with us. And I couldn't help feeling we were going to loose something. Voyager was our home and the crew was our family, but suddenly that wasn't true anymore."  
  
"But surely you couldn't just forget each other?" Amelia asked.  
  
"No, we could never do that." Tom said. "But we were home. We didn't have to live on Voyager anymore. We wouldn't see each other everyday. And, of course, Starfleet split us up as we all went our different ways."  
  
Amelia smiled softly. "It must have been hard."  
  
"It was." Tom seemed to shake himself. "Enough of this gloomy stuff. How would you like to see the infirmary?"  
  
"Yes please." Amelia said, eagerly.  
  
"Then the infirmary it is."  
  
* * *  
  
"The infirmary is an exact replica of the one on the original Voyager." The Doctor said.  
  
Amelia barely heard him as she wandered about the room, touching everything. Her parents had come here for their yearly physicals, or had lain here after being injured on their quest to get Voyager home.  
  
"I think our guest is suitably impressed, Bob." Tom said to the Doctor.  
  
"Yes." Bob said thoughtfully.  
  
"I can't believe I'm actually here." Amelia muttered, as she continued her wanderings.  
  
"In the infirmary?" The Doctor asked, confused.  
  
"No, Voyager." She said, absently. "This place meant so much to my parents. I don't think they actually truly let it go." She smiled. "Sometimes I would catch one of them looking wistfully at the sky. I knew they wanted to be here."  
  
"Did they say anything about the crew?" Tom asked, curious.  
  
Amelia turned to them, her face shining in adoration. "They never stopped. Instead of fairy tales or legends, I would here about Voyager and her loyal crew. The arrogant but brilliant pilot. The calm and logical Vulcan. The quiet and capable Ensign. The confident and aggressive Chief Engineer. The efficient and curious doctor." She smiled softly, a faint sadness crossed her face. "But I never got to hear about the Captain or her First Officer. They would never tell me anything."  
  
"We'll have to tell you a story or two about them, then." Tom said.  
  
Amelia turned to look at him. "Really?" she asked, looking just like a little kid.  
  
"Really." Tom said smiling.  
  
The Doctor stepped towards her, a tricorder in his hand. "You seem healthy enough. How old are you?" he asked.  
  
Amelia looked at him, and put her hands on her hips, unconsciously imitating her mother. "Eighteen." She said, daring him to comment.  
  
"I thought so." Bob muttered.  
  
"As fascinating as all this is," Tom broke in. "How would you like to see the bridge?"  
  
Amelia raised her eyebrow at him. "Do you need to ask?" she said, dryly.  
  
Chuckling, Tom bid goodbye to the Doctor, and the two of them made there way up to the bridge. "You could probably even see the Captain's Quarters and Ready Room, if Harry let's you." Tom told her on the way up.  
  
Amelia smiled. "I'd love to see them."  
  
The door swished open just then, and Amelia stared at the bridge just like where her mother had once stood, captaining her ship. And where her father had loyally stood by her side.  
  
At the sound, Harry looked up from the Captain's chair. When he saw them he grinned. "Welcome to the bridge." He said.  
  
As Amelia walked forward, she was aware of eyes following her. She turned her head and looked at the crew, who continued to stare curiously at her. "You're a bit of a celebrity on Voyager." Harry said, noticing. "The daughter of Captain Kathryn Janeway and Commander Chakotay."  
  
Blushing slightly, Amelia turned to Harry again. "Can I sit in the Captain's chair?" she asked.  
  
"Sure." Harry agreed.  
  
Behind her Tom chuckled. "How come you never let me do that Harry?" he asked.  
  
"Because you wouldn't give it back." Harry retorted. "Voyager's my ship."  
  
Amelia smiled, and slipped into Harry's seat. Then she turned to the First Officer. "Captain Amelia Janeway, of the starship Voyager." She said, and extended her hand.  
  
The First Officer grinned, his dark eye twinkling. "Commander Mark O'Connel, ma'am." He said.  
  
Tom burst out laughing at the exchange. "And you were worried about me, Harry!" he teased.  
  
"I thought it only appropriate to have a Captain Janeway in charge of Voyager, Captain." Amelia said, managing to suppress a smile. "Wouldn't you agree?"  
  
"If you say so, ma'am." Harry said, seeing the grin tugging at the corners of Amelia's mouth. "If you would like to give the order."  
  
"Set a course to New Earth, maximum warp." She ordered.  
  
Grinning, the helmsman did as she ordered, after Harry nodded from behind her, and the stars streaked even faster past the viewport. 


	4. Chapter Three: Conversations

CHAPTER THREE:  
  
At dinner that night, after Harry went off duty, they all settled down to a large meal in the mess hall. Even the Doctor was present.  
  
"I saw the Seeker," B'Elanna said, in between mouthfuls of food. "Is that really the shuttle?"  
  
"Yes." Amelia said proudly. "It is. My father and I redesigned it, when I was about eight. I've been improving it since then, but it's basically the same."  
  
B'Elanna looked thoughtful as she chewed her food. Before she could open her mouth and demand a technical readout, Tom interrupted. "How does she fly?" he asked.  
  
"Like a dream." Amelia said. "You'll have to take her out one day."  
  
"I will." Tom agreed.  
  
"Did the Captain and Commander have all they required?" Tuvok asked.  
  
"Mostly." Amelia told him. "What we didn't have, we could make or find. Unfortunately though, mum's science equipment was damaged in one of the planet's seasonal plasma storms, so she couldn't continue the research until we got replacements."  
  
"There were no readings of plasma storms on the planets surface." Tuvok said.  
  
"As I said, they're seasonal. You wouldn't have been able to pick them up, unless you came in storm season." Amelia replied.  
  
Tuvok nodded, looking as thoughtful as a Vulcan could.  
  
Neelix took the opportunity to ask, "I must say, Amelia, but that is a beautiful necklace."  
  
Amelia's hand automatically went to her neck. "My father made it."  
  
"I had no idea Commander Chakotay was so gifted." The Doctor said.  
  
"He paint's and sculpts too." Amelia said. "And he's also a bit of a carpenter."  
  
"Really?" the Doctor asked.  
  
Amelia smiled. "Mum also paints, but she prefers her garden."  
  
She looked at the faces before her. "They will be so happy to see you again. They missed you so much."  
  
Tom looked embarrassed, and quickly asked a question. "Do you have any brother's or sisters?"  
  
"Yes." Amelia nodded. "I have older twin brothers."  
  
This piece of news was greeted with amazed looks. "I know." Amelia said dryly. "And you don't even live with them!"  
  
This drew a few chuckles from the crew, but Amelia couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed. "I'm sure Mum and Dad would be able to tell you the rest."  
  
Talk then turned to all the places they had been, and the people they had met. For hours they talked, debated and teased one another. Amelia was amazed at how easily the crew accepted her, and made her feel one of them.  
  
As the discussion came to an end, and before to many arguments started, Harry asked, "How about we retire to my ready room? I'm sure Amelia would love to see it."  
  
Everyone agreed, and they made their way to the room. Amelia entered, and found a pleasant room decorated with delicate art, and musical instruments. She thought it was exactly like Harry.  
  
"It's beautiful." She said.  
  
"Thank you." Harry replied.  
  
She made her way to the couch beneath the large viewport, and sat down. The others joined her. "It seems I promised you a story." Tom said, after a moment.  
  
Amelia grinned, and Tom said. "Well, how do I begin? Ah, yes - Once upon a time, there was a large starship known as USS Voyager - " 


	5. Chapter four: Stories

CHAPTER FOUR:  
  
"Once upon a time there was a large starship known as USS Voyager. She had been sent on a mission for the Federation to find a missing Marquis ship, but she is transported to the Delta Quadrant by the Caretaker before her mission was completed."  
  
"There were a large number of casualties, and the Captain was saddened. She had lost many friends. After being beamed aboard the mysterious array that had transported the ship, Janeway and her crew were captured by the Caretaker - only to be returned in three days. All except a young ensign by the name of Harry Kim."  
  
"Three crew from the missing Marquis ship were also onboard the array - Chakotay, B'Elanna Torres and the Vulcan Tuvok. So the Captain contacted the Marquis, to see if they had the missing crewman. But they did not. One of their crew was also missing - the half Klingon B'Elanna Torres."  
  
"So Chakotay, Tuvok and Lt. Ayala of the Marquis beamed aboard Voyager to join the Captain in her search for the missing crewmen. They were armed and ready to fight, although Captain Janeway told them weapons were not needed. Then she greeted Tuvok as the Starfleet officer he was, and Chakotay felt betrayed."  
  
"But he did not show the anger he felt until he saw his former crewman Tom Paris. He demanded to know what price it took this time, remembering a former betrayal. But Janeway stood up for him, asking Chakotay to treat a member of her crew as he would expect her to treat his."  
  
"So Captain Janeway, Chakotay, Tom Paris and Tuvok returned to the array - this time armed with compression phaser rifles. But the Caretaker refused to release the missing crew, and sent them back to Voyager."  
  
"Meanwhile Kim and Torres had found themselves in a hospital on the Ocampa planet, and the Ocampa revealed to them who the Caretaker was. But they were also told the had a disease that could not be cured, and they couldn't leave."  
  
"Voyager and the Marquis ship came into the planets orbit. Joining them, they had a Talaxian named Neelix who they had encountered in a debris field. They beamed down to the planet surface, where they encountered the Kazon. They paid the debts of Neelix, but were told they could not have the female Ocampa captive."  
  
"But Janeway could not leave the captive behind, so they distracted the Kazon and beamed her aboard Voyager. Captain Janeway, Chakotay, Tuvok, Neelix and the Ocampa known as Kes returned to the planet in Ocampa City. There they were told by an elder that they must follow the Caretaker's path, but Kes told them she would help."  
  
"But as they searched for the crewmen who had escaped for the hospital, they realize that the Caretaker is dying. Janeway was worried, and wondered how they would get home if the Caretaker died."  
  
"Kes, Neelix and Tom Paris found Kim and Torres, and managed to get to the planet surface, despite the problem of the irradiated planet's crusts. But before they could be beamed up, Paris heard that Chakotay had run into trouble."  
  
"Paris returned to rescue Chakotay, who had a broken leg, and managed to drag him free of the broken stairs before they collapsed. They pair joked together, and Chakotay was grateful that Paris had saved his life."  
  
"The crew all returned to Voyager, where they were healed by the EMH in sickbay. But two Kazon ships were heading to the array, and they all left the sickbay to attend their separate tasks. The Marquis returned to their ship, and both ships headed toward the array. The Kazon were after the Caretaker technology but did not want anyone else to get it, so they attacked Voyager and the Marquis."  
  
"Captain Janeway returned to the array, and found the dying Caretaker. The Caretaker revealed that it was his technology that caused the Ocampa world to heat up and he was left to take care of the Ocampa. Janeway suggests that he leave the Ocampa to 'grow up', but he rejected the idea."  
  
"Meanwhile, in the battle, Chakotay noticed that Voyagers weapons array has been hit, and they were in trouble. So he ordered his crew to beam aboard Voyager, and set his ship on collision course with one of the Kazon vessels. Chakotay was beamed out of his Marquis raider a second before it hits the Kazon ship, and destroys it. But unfortunately, it plunged into the array."  
  
"Aboard the array, the Caretaker told Janeway the array must be destroyed to protect the Ocampa from the Kazon. He could not do it because the self-destruct system had been damaged. And then Janeway made one of the hardest decisions of her life. She ordered Tuvok not to operate the controls to send the Marquis and Voyager back home, and destroys the array instead."  
  
"And as a result, Voyager lost a way home, and the crew made an enemy of the Kazon. But Janeway believed she did the right thing. She invited the Marquis to join her crew, including B'Elanna as Chief Engineer, Chakotay as First Officer and Tom Paris as pilot."  
  
"She spoke to her united crew, and said, 'We're alone, in an uncharted part of the galaxy. We've already made some friends here, and some enemies. We have no idea of the dangers we're going to face, but one thing is clear, both crews are going to have to work together if we're to survive. That's why Commander Chakotay and I have agreed that this should be one crew, a Starfleet crew.'  
  
'And as the only Starfleet vessel assigned to the Delta Quadrant we'll continue to follow our directive: to seek out new worlds and to explore space.'  
  
'But our primary goal is clear. Even at maximum speeds it would take 75 years to reach the Federation. But I'm not willing to settle for that. There's another entity like the Caretaker out there somewhere who has the ability to get us there a lot faster, and we'll be looking for wormholes, spatial rifts or new technologies to help us. Somewhere along this journey, we'll find a way back.'  
  
'Mr. Paris set a course, for home.' "  
  
"And so Captain Kathryn Janeway vowed she would somehow find a way home for her crew, and became more than a Captain to us. She became our protector and our guide. We never forgot what she did for us." 


	6. Chapter Five: Life on New Earth

CHAPTER FIVE:  
  
Amelia sat in silence as Tom finished the story. She felt stunned and proud that her parents had done so much. "That's was wonderful." She whispered.  
  
The others were all silent as they remembered how they had all met each other, and how they had become the family that had explored the Delta Quadrant together.  
  
"One story deserves another." Amelia said after a moment. "Let me tell you a story about love and loss and hope."  
  
The others sat in silence and listened as she began.  
  
"There once was a starship captain who felt guilty for stranding her crew in uncharted space. Somewhere humans had never been before. Bravely she set a course for home, and faced many dangers to protect her ship and her crew."  
  
"And all the while, her first officer had stood by her side, faithfully supporting and helping her. But one day they found a problem they couldn't solve, a disease they couldn't cure. And the Captain was faced with one of the most difficult decisions of her life: she must leave her ship and her crew or die."  
  
"Her heart broke. She felt as if she had no purpose anymore. But together with her first officer, she found a planet to make her home, and she bid her crew farewell. She threw herself into finding a cure so that she could one day rejoin her crew. But even that was taken from her; destroyed by a fierce and dangerous storm."  
  
"But still her first officer stood by her side to comfort her and protect her, until he could take it no more. He did the only thing he could to bring her out of her despair. He told her a story."  
  
"A story about an angry warrior who lived his life in conflict with the rest of his tribe, a man who couldn't find peace even with the help of his spirit-guide. For years he struggled with his discontent. But the only satisfaction he ever got when he was in battle. This made him a hero among his tribe, but the warrior still longed for peace within himself. One day he and his war party were captured by a neighbouring tribe, led by a woman warrior. She called on him to join her because her tribe was too small and weak to defend itself from all its enemies. The woman warrior was brave and beautiful, and very wise. The angry warrior swore to himself he would stay by her side, doing whatever he could to make their burden lighter her needs would come first and in that way the warrior began to know the true meaning of peace."  
  
"But the captain didn't believe him when he told her it was an ancient legend, and he confesses that it just made it easier to say. And slowly they began to realize their feelings for each other. A love an attraction that had been there since they had met, and only deepened over time."  
  
"The captain's heart healed, and reveled in the joy and power of his love for her - as he reveled the strength and gift of hers. They became lovers and made a home and family on the planet they had begun to think of as paradise. But they would always keep one eye on the sky, hoping the ship they had lost would come back to save them."  
  
"But soon, even that began to fade as they explored the planet and watched their children grow. And they grew stronger as they accepted they would not return to the planet that they had left all those years ago. So they made a new Earth to live on. A place I have grown to treasure because of what they taught me to see. A home can be wherever you happen to be, and you can learn to love it. Just like they love each other."  
  
Amelia paused in her story, amazed to find tears in the eyes of her audience. Only Tuvok did not, but she could see even he was affected by the story of her parent's life on New Earth. So she continued.  
  
"Years past, and their children grew up. They began to journey away from their parents and their home to explore the places around them, as their parents had longed to as they grew up. And the lovers grew older. But still they hoped, deep in their hearts, that they would see their homeworld once more and the crew that had become so close to them."  
  
She finished the story and smiled softly. "They still hope. I can see it in their eyes." She whispered.  
  
"That was beautiful." B'Elanna said.  
  
"I am glad they found some happiness after they left us." Harry added.  
  
"I just wish we hadn't be forced to leave them behind!" Tom said.  
  
"Well, Captain Paris," Tuvok said levelly. "We cannot change the past. But we have come back for them."  
  
"They wouldn't have figured out their feelings for each other if they had stayed aboard. They wouldn't have let themselves." The Doctor said.  
  
Harry looked around at them all, a determined glint to his eye. "I won't rest until I find them again." He said.  
  
Tuvok nodded. "Do not worry, Captain Kim. By my calculations, we should reach the planet in 14 hours."  
  
Everyone smiled with relief and longing as they realized they would soon be reunited with the Captain and First Officer they had left behind, but never forgotten. "I only hope they are as happy to see us as we are to see them." Tom muttered softly. 


	7. Chapter Six: The Reunion

CHAPTER SIX:  
  
Amelia piloted the Seeker deftly, as she guided her ship through the atmosphere. "We're nearly there." She said to the six other's squashed behind her.  
  
"Good." Tom groaned. "I think I've broken something."  
  
"I can assure you that you are fine." The Doctor said, but Tom ignored him.  
  
"Will you stop doing that!" B'Elanna snapped, as Harry moved for the hundredth time.  
  
"Sorry." Harry muttered.  
  
Amelia suppressed a grin as she engaged the landing controls. "You all did want to come down with me." She reminded them.  
  
"We thought it would be a surprise." Neelix said.  
  
"Oh, it will be." Amelia agreed, as she landed. "My parents definitely won't be expecting you."  
  
She was still grinning as she opened the hatch and stepped out into the New Earth sunshine.  
  
* * *  
  
Kathryn was working in her garden, when she spotted the sleek shape of her daughter's shuttle in the sky. She smiled and wiped the dirt from her hands. "Chakotay." She called. "Our daughter is home."  
  
Chakotay looked up from where he worked. Sawdust and wood shavings clung to his white shirt that hung slightly open. He looked across at the woman that meant so much to him. She stood in the sunshine, her dark red hair hanging to her waist, a radiant smile on her face.  
  
He smiled in return. "Then let's go and greet her."  
  
The couple made their way to the clearing that Amelia often used as a landing pad, and followed the progress of the ship with their eyes. They still stood there, with their arms around each other's waists, when Amelia leapt out of the Seeker and ran over to them. Hugging them, she could not suppress a grin as radiant as her mother's. "I home!" she laughed happily. "And you'll never guess who I found!"  
  
"Who?" Chakotay asked, chuckling at his daughter's excitement. She was nearly jumping up and down. "Who did you find?"  
  
His smile disappeared as a look of absolute shock came over his face. He felt Kathryn tense beside him. Turning, Amelia followed their gaze to the Seeker, where Harry Kim, Tom Paris, B'Elanna, the Doctor (Bob), Tuvok and Neelix were slowly climbing out of the shuttle. Then tears began to glisten in their eyes, as they looked at the friends they had not seen in twenty years.  
  
"I can't - " Kathryn said, swallowing back her tears. "Chakotay, they - "  
  
"I know, Katie." He whispered. "I know. They came back."  
  
Hesitantly, Harry stepped forward and approached the pair. Amelia moved away, content to just watch the reunion before her. "Captain - " the rank slipped automatically off his tongue, as if no time had past, and the silence was broken.  
  
"Harry." Kathryn cried, as she stepped forward and hugged him tightly. She looked up. "Tom, B'Elanna, Tuvok, Neelix and Doctor." She said. "You came back."  
  
She released Harry, only to embrace the others. Chakotay slapped Harry on the back, before he, too, gave him a hug. The hugs continued and tears fell, as the crew assured each other that they were really there.  
  
Even Tuvok got a hug, and Amelia was surprised to see tears glistening in his dark eyes. "Tuvok, my old friend." Kathryn said. "I missed you." She turned to the others. "I missed you all."  
  
"We missed you all." Chakotay corrected.  
  
There was silence for a moment as everyone gazed at each other, noticing the changes. "Your hair's gone grey." Tom told Chakotay.  
  
"So yours." He retorted.  
  
"And Harry," Kathryn said surprised. "Are those Captain's pips I see on your collar?"  
  
"Yes." Harry said proudly.  
  
"I'm so happy for you."  
  
"That is not the only change in rank amongst us, Captain." Said Tuvok. "Tom Paris is now a Captain, Neelix has become the Talaxian Ambassador and I have become an Admiral."  
  
"Congratulations, all of you." Kathryn said.  
  
"I'm sorry we couldn't be there." Chakotay added.  
  
"I also decided on a name, Captain." The Doctor added. "I couldn't stand being called Doctor or EMH anymore, so I changed my name to Bob."  
  
Chakotay raised an eyebrow. "Bob?" he asked.  
  
"Yes." The Doctor nodded firmly. "Bob."  
  
"Well, Bob." Kathryn said. "Welcome to New Earth."  
  
"Thank you Captain." He said.  
  
"That's another thing." Kathryn said, turning to face them all. "I'm not your Captain anymore, so you can just call me Kathryn."  
  
"Very well - Kathryn." Tuvok said.  
  
"Good." Chakotay smiled. "Now that we've got that out the way, how would you like to see our humble home?"  
  
Everyone agreed, and they made their way back to the house.  
  
* * *  
  
"I still can't believe you made all this." Tom said, as Kathryn handed him a cup of tea.  
  
"Yes, he's quite talented isn't he?" Kathryn said.  
  
"No more than you and your garden." Chakotay told her, slightly embarrassed.  
  
"I saw that on the way in. You even had Talaxian tomatoes." Neelix said dreamily.  
  
"I like to grow things." Kathryn said softly.  
  
"Who'd have thought?" Tom said.  
  
"Tom!" B'Elanna scolded.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"This is - "  
  
Harry quickly cut her off. "They turned Voyager into a museum in Seattle. As a tribute to all those crew who did not make it. There's even a public holiday on the anniversary of our arrival."  
  
"How long did it take you?" Chakotay asked, touched.  
  
"A further thirteen years." Tuvok answered.  
  
"Thirteen years?" Kathryn asked puzzled. "But how did you get back here so fast? In fact, how did you get here at all?"  
  
"Starfleet began developing wormhole technology after we returned, and they came up with a useable method of transportation." Tuvok stated.  
  
"It took six years." Harry said. "But we made it."  
  
Kathryn looked at her loyal crew. "You came back." She said softly. "You came back."  
  
"We couldn't just leave you out here after we developed a cure!" The Doctor - Bob - said fiercely. "It took me ten years, but I did it!"  
  
"You have a cure?" Chakotay asked.  
  
Everyone could see the hope in his eyes, and in Kathryn's. "Yes Comman - Chakotay. You can come home." B'Elanna said.  
  
They continued to talk for hours, telling each other about the last twenty years and the joy the felt for being reunited. Both Kathryn and Chakotay were surprised to learn that Tom and B'Elanna had married, but were happy for them.  
  
As dawn light crept in through the window, Tom yawned and looked surprised. "Is it morning already?" he asked.  
  
"I seems to be." Neelix agreed.  
  
"Kathryn, may I invite you and Chakotay to come aboard my ship, the Voyager 2?" Harry asked.  
  
"We would be honored." Kathryn replied. 


	8. Chapter Seven: Return of the Captain

CHAPTER SEVEN:  
  
The crew of Voyager was overjoyed at the return of their Captain and First Officer. Everyone had something to say to the pair. The love and respect they showed for Kathryn and Chakotay was humbling. Despite all the years, the crew acted as if they had just left for an away mission.  
  
"I can't thank you enough for the loyalty you have shown us," Kathryn said when she addressed the crew. "Leaving Voyager and our crew was one of the hardest things Chakotay and I have ever done. We never stopped trying to find a way home to you. The fact that you came back for us makes us proud to have served with you, because you are the most loyal and steadfast crew I have ever served with. Thank you."  
  
Later, in the Captain's ready room, Chakotay and Kathryn met with Tom, Tuvok, B'Elanna, Bob, Neelix and Harry. Kathryn yawned tiredly. "This has been one of the best days of my life." She muttered softly, as she sank down onto the couch.  
  
"And it's not over yet." Harry said. "Kathryn, there is something the crew would like to ask you. We all would like to ask you." He took a deep breath. "Will you do us the honor of returning to Earth with us?"  
  
Kathryn smiled softly, and looked at Chakotay. Something unspoken seemed to pass between them that the others could not understand. She turned back to Harry. "We would love to." She said. "It is so hard to leave, but returning to Earth is something we have to do."  
  
Everyone broke out into grins and delighted laughter at her words. "I hope our children are included in that offer?" Chakotay asked.  
  
"Of course." Harry grinned.  
  
Kathryn reached for Chakotay's hand. "But there is something I wish you could do for us before we leave."  
  
Tom nodded. "Anything." He said.  
  
"We would like to be married, and want you all to come." She turned to Tuvok. "My old friend, would you do me honor of performing the ceremony?"  
  
Tuvok nodded his eyes glistening.  
  
"Well I never," Bob muttered. "A Vulcan showing emotion."  
  
* * *  
  
Kathryn and Chakotay sat outside their house, watching the sun set behind the mountains. "It's going to be so hard to leave this place." She said.  
  
"I know." Chakotay said. "There are so many memories here. Like when you first planted that tree." He pointed to a large evergreen next to the house.  
  
"And when you kissed me under it." She said.  
  
"And when we went down the river in the boat and almost drowned." Chakotay laughed. "Because you wanted to bring your bath."  
  
She tried to glare at him, but couldn't help smiling. "And then you had to rescue it."  
  
They sat in silence for a while, watching the planet around them and remembering all the memories they had shared. "Our children were born here." Kathryn said.  
  
"True children of New Earth." Chakotay agreed. "But they deserve a chance to see Earth."  
  
"I know." Kathryn said softly.  
  
"They all volunteered to come and rescue us." Chakotay said, changing the subject.  
  
"Which would explain why we have at least two Captains, several First Officers, an Admiral, an Ambassador and four Chief Engineers." Kathryn laughed. "And no crewmen or ensigns."  
  
"They haven't changed much. Gained experience, but they still seem like the crew that we left." Chakotay added.  
  
Kathryn smiled, and noticed two figures approaching the house with heavy packs. "Our sons are home."  
  
"Mum! Dad!" they called excitedly. "We found a whole colony of primates over the river delta!"  
  
Chakotay chuckled. "We're fine, thanks for asking."  
  
The twins grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. So, what's been happening?"  
  
Kathryn grinned wickedly at Chakotay, before turning to her sons. "Nothing much. Your sister came home, Voyager came back and we're getting married tomorrow, but that's about all."  
  
The twin's mouths dropped open, before Tay spluttered, "Voyager came back?!"  
  
"You getting married, TOMORROW!?" Leo said at the same time.  
  
Chakotay and Kathryn laughed before telling them the whole story. "I hope you won't mind leaving your home, too much." Kathryn said, when they had finished.  
  
"Miss it too much? We'll be too busy!" Leo called. "Just imagine it, Tay! Earth!"  
  
"I am, Leo. Think of all those new animals! Not to mention the Academy!" Tay retorted.  
  
Chakotay and Kathryn said goodnight to their excited children, and retreated inside to prepare for their big day. 


	9. Chapter Eight: Return Journey

CHAPTER EIGHT:  
  
The flowers were a rainbow of beautiful colour amongst the green in Kathryn's garden. And the sunlight gave the scene a magical quality, which to many it was. Every crewmember of the starship Voyager was present, and Admiral Tuvok directed the ceremony.  
  
The bridge groom stood next to a small platform on which Tuvok stood. He was dressed in a simple white shirt, belted at the waist by a wide belt and black trousers. The look on his face was serene, and filled with joy.  
  
Captain Harry Kim and some fellow crewmen provided the wedding march, and Tom Paris and Bob stood as best men. Neelix was hovering about the tables layered with many delicate and delicious looking dishes.  
  
B'Elanna and Amelia were the bridesmaids, wearing in flowing blue dresses and carrying some of the flowers from the garden. They stepped slowly, and in time with the music, down the makeshift isle.  
  
But it was the bride who took everyone's breath away. She wore a simple, flowing white dress with her long red hair unbound. On either side she was flanked by one of her sons, and her face held a glowing happiness that none had ever seen on their captain's face.  
  
The ceremony was quick and beautiful, with Chakotay and Janeway pledging their love for each other for eternity and beyond. Many of the crew cried with joy at witnessing the event, and at the love their commanding officers had for each other.  
  
After the congratulations and toasts were over, Harry got up and stood on the platform. He cleared his throat, and everyone fell silent. "On behalf of the crew, I have a wedding gift to present the bride and groom." He said.  
  
His hands came out from behind his back, and they held two neatly folded command uniforms. "We would be honored if Kathryn and Chakotay would return to Voyager as Captain and Commander, and finish the journey they started twenty years ago."  
  
Kathryn felt tears slide down her face, and she squeezed Chakotay's hand. "We would be honored to return to take you home," Chakotay said. "Thank you for the chance and for making this day special for all of us."  
  
* * *  
  
The next morning, the doors to the bridge slid open and two familiar figures entered, dressed in the deep red uniforms of command. One was a beautiful woman with the bearing of a queen, the other a dark and silent man. The man sat down in the chair of the first officer, but the woman preferred to stand.  
  
Captain Tom Paris sat at the helm, with Admiral Tuvok at Tactics and Captain Harry Kim at Operations. Off to the sides stood B'Elanna Torres, Amelia, Tay and Leo, the Doctor Bob, Neelix and the normal bridge crew.  
  
The woman gazed at the planet below them through the large view screen in front of her. "Goodbye, New Earth." She said softly.  
  
Then raising her voice, she looked directly at her pilot. "Mr. Paris set a course for home." She ordered. "Maximum warp."  
  
"Aye, aye, Captain." Tom answered, and Voyager began the long journey home once again.  
  
THE END 


End file.
